Put your trust in God!
[Psalms 56]
What must we do to trust in God alone? In the article ‘Closer to the heart of Jesus every day’, it summarized in four ways: (1) Consider your weaknesses, (2) Admit that even the smallest things cannot be accomplished without God's help, (3) Ask God what only God can give, (4) Realize that we don’t have it, and that we have nowhere to go to get it. Kneel at the feet of the Lord and ask God to hear our requests (Internet).
If we look at Psalms 31:14, which we have already meditated on, David had “But as for me” faith: “But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD, I say, ‘You are my God.’” David had the faith that he would only trust in the Lord no matter what circumstances he faced. He trusted in the Lord even in distress and grief (v. 9), in sorrow and sigh (v. 10), in reproach (v. 11), when he was forgotten (v. 12), and in terror on every side (v. 13) .
In Psalms 56, the words ‘I will my trust in You’ three times: “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You” (v. 3), “In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid What can mere man do to me?” (v. 4), “In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (v. 11). I want to receive few lessons that God wants us to give us as I meditate on Psalms 56 under the title “Put your trust in God!”.
First, when did David trust in God?
David trusted in God when he was afraid. Look at Psalms 56:3 – “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.” Why was David afraid? The reason was because David's foe (v. 2), the Philistines, oppressed him (v. 1) and tried to take David's life (v. 6). Interestingly, the oppression and persecution of the David's foe didn’t stop once or twice, but “all day” (vv. 1, 2, 5). What this tells us is that Satan's work never ceases. Satan tries to tempt, oppress, and defeat us all day long. An example of Satan's all-day temptation is Joseph in Genesis 39. In his story, the Bible tells us that Potiphar's wife tempted Joseph, who was handsome in form and appearance (Gen. 39:6), to sleep with her “day after day” (v. 10). The Satan’s work in Psalms 56 was that the David’s foe, the Satan’s servants, constantly oppressed, persecuted, and tried to kill David. Why are these wicked servants of Satan constantly attacking, harassing, and oppressing us, the righteous? We can find the answer in verse 5 – “… All their thoughts are against me for evil.” The thoughts of Satan and his servants toward us are always wicked, so they constantly tempt us, attack us, knock us down, and try to make us fall. Therefore, we must trust in God every day, moment by moment. The fact that Satan's work is constantly tempting and attacking us "all day long" teaches us that we too must trust in God "all day long" or unceasingly. How can we keep trusting in the Lord when Satan is constantly attacking us and trying to defeat us? Let us all hold onto the word of Isaiah 41:10 – “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” The Bible says that our Lord holds us with the right hand of His power. Our God will strengthen us. So let us trust in God no matter what fearful situation we may be in.
Second, how did David trust in God?
(1) David trusted in God through prayer.
When we look at David’s prayer, first of all, he asked God for His grace. Look at Psalms 56:1 – “Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me; all day long they press their attack.” All we can ask for is God's mercy because everything is God's grace. The suffering we receive for the sake of the Lord is God's grace, and the salvation we receive in the midst of crisis is God's grace. Therefore, we have no choice but to seek God's mercy like David. In Nehemiah 9:25-31, we can see that our God is God who is gracious and merciful (v. 31). When we enjoy the great goodness of the Lord (v. 25), we rather disobey Him, rebel against Him, and sin against the Lord by putting the God’s word behind our back (v. 26). Therefore, God strikes us with the discipline of love and allows us to suffer (v. 27). Then we cry out to God and the Lord hears our prayers and gives us great mercy and save us (v. 27). But as soon as we are at rest, we again do what is evil in God’s sight (v. 28). Then there is also the discipline of the Lord's love, and we cry out to God, and the Lord listens to our prayers and gives us mercy many times and deliver us (v. 28). Our God is God who shows mercy many times. He is the God who has forgiven us for many years (v. 30). David pleaded with this merciful God, and so should we. Second, if we look at the content of David's prayer, David asked for God's help. Look at Psalms 56:9 – “Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me.” When David asked God, he believed that God would answer his prayers and turn his enemies back. In other words, David was convinced that God would help him. With that confidence, David prayed with tears for God's mercy and help (v. 8).
(2) David trusted in God through praise.
Look at Psalms 56:4, 10 – “In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? … In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise.” What does it mean by praising the word of God? It means to praise God, knowing that the word of God’s promise will surely come true. This is possible only by faith. It is only through faith that we can praise God even in such a dangerous and painful circumstance with the assurance of answered prayers. That is why Paul and Silas prayed and praised God even in prison (Acts 16:25).
Usually when we say that we trust in God, we know that we must pray to God. That’s why we give praise like the hymn “I Must Tell Jesus” to God: “.I must tell Jesus all of my trials, I cannot bear these burdens alone; In my distress He kindly will help me, He ever loves and cares for His own. I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! I cannot bear my burdens alone; I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! Jesus can help me, Jesus alone” (v. 1 and chorus). We cast all our burdens to God through prayers. But what is interesting is that David trusted in God through praise. When we ponder and meditate on what this means, we speak to God in prayer in the fearful situation, but in the process of praying, we eventually sing praises to God. The reason is because only when we meditate on the Lord Jesus Christ, we are compelled to praise Him. So in the hymn “The Trusting Heart to Jesus Clings”, there is such a lyric: “The passing days bring many cares. ‘Fear not,’ I hear Him say; And when my fears are turned to prayers, The burdens slip away. Singing I go along life's road, Praising the Lord, praising the Lord; Singing I go along life's road, For Jesus has lifted my load” (v. 2). Like David, we pray to God and praise Him, so we must trust in God. I hope and pray that we pray and praise God like Apostles Paul and Silas, even in our fearful situation.
Third and last, what was the heart attitude of David who trusted in God?
(1) David had assurance of salvation.
Look at Psalms 56:13 – “For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.” David trusted God completely through prayer and praise to God in his fearful situation of life-threatening amid the constant oppression and persecution of his enemies. At that time, since he had already experienced God's salvation in the past, David was convinced that God would save him even in the current crisis situation. Not only did God save David, but He didn’t make David’s fee from stumbling so that he might walk before God in the light of life. Our God is the God of salvation who keeps us from stumbling. He is the God who makes us walk in the light of life. We must overcome adversity and suffering with this assurance of God's salvation.
(2) David determined to fulfill his vows to God.
Look at Psalms 56:12 – “I am under vows to you, O God; I will present my thank offerings to you.” David determined to take his responsibility before God. He determined to faithfully take the responsibility of fulfilling his vows that he made to God. He determined to pay back his vows to God with gratitude and praise. We who live by trusting in God must take responsibility for and fulfill the vows before God. We should never take our vows lightly. Our vows must be done carefully. And if we are determined to fulfill the vows, we must do so.
We must trust in God through our prayers and praise, no matter what fearful situation we may be in. Let us all be raised as true worshipers who praise God with thanksgiving as we all plead with God with the assurance of salvation. And let us determine to fulfill our vows and put it into action. Last Sunday afternoon, after finishing the teacher's Bible study, I spoke on the phone with a brother in Christ. I didn’t know what to say, so as I answered the phone I asked for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in my heart. At that time, the Holy Spirit reminded me the words that I proclaimed during the Sunday English service, and I shared those words with that beloved brother in Christ: ‘Let's make the right choices based on the Word of God, according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Let us trust solely in God and make the right choice.’ At that time, the brother confessed that his failure to trust in God was his problem. So I prayed for him over the phone. At that time, I heard him crying in tears and that broke my heart. However, I have entrusted him to God in prayer, so I believe that God will hold him and deliver him. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us trust in God completely. God will save us. Victory!
With heart of gratitude for God's grace in making me to trust in the Lord,
James Kim
(Leaving all my fears to God through prayer and praise)